Memorial service for Betty Jean (Shiflett) Barnett will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 3, 2017 in First Baptist Church with Jim Roberts and Dr. Patrick Latham officiating.

Private family burial will take place prior to the memorial service at the Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, under direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

The family will greet friends from 6-8 pm Thursday at the funeral home.

Betty Jean (Shiflett) Barnett, age 90, died Tuesday, January 31, 2017 in Lawton.  She was born to Lee and Jewell Shiflett of Fletcher, Oklahoma on August 6, 1926. Betty graduated from Fletcher High School in 1944.

Betty went to work at Ft. Sill in Post Ordinance. It was there she met Dale Barnett. He soon swept her off her feet and became the love of her life. On September 8, 1946 they were married. Theirs was the first 'church wedding' held at First Baptist Church, Fletcher, OK. Their marriage remained strong 63 years, as long as they both had breath.

Lawton was always their home! And Betty's passion was making their house a home.

Betty created a home of love. She always enjoyed sharing her home with friends of all ages. Family times were centered on her good cooking and the table was equally full of laughter and love. Years of leadership with PTA, VBS, teaching Sunday school, volunteering at the Food Bank, places of service without being recognized are proof that Betty was a true servant. Betty sewed for all three of her children, attended all baseball and football games for Greg, Patti spent years as a cheerleader and Betty was right there for all of those games and events.

After her Ft. Sill career, Betty created a home business of "training up children". Betty began caring for and loving a small mass of children in the home. During those years, she became known as Ms. Betty. During those many years, she never missed family events, making meal times special and time to celebrate all of her family's accomplishments. Betty was strong. Betty was an encourager. Betty was determined to love endlessly and with joy.

Pioneer women were made up of those women toughened by hard times, picking cotton, milking cows, canning hand-picked fruits and vegetables, gathering eggs, sewing, cooking and cleaning...a spirit of "never give up and always press forward in hope". This was Betty Barnett, a part of the last generation of pioneer women. Betty was one of ten children that grew up on the Shiflett farm, Fletcher, OK tenderly recalled her momma going throughout their tiny shotgun home singing "I'd rather have Jesus than anything", this too proved to be Betty's theme song for her life!

Betty loved friendships. She celebrated the gift of friendship by keeping friends close. Her dear friends were always the ladies of First Baptist Church, Lawton, Oklahoma, particularly her Sunday school class, Phoebe, taught by Eunice Marple. Special life-Iong friends include Routh Becker, Rene Crook, Virgie Johnson, Salli Walker and Pat Miller.

Preceded in death by her husband, Dale (Barney) Barnett, sisters; Bernice Dowd, Oleta Woods and Jarvis Edson, and her brothers; Gordon, Wallace, Clayton and Francis Shiflett. Arriving to heaven before Betty was her dearly loved always young at heart cousin, Kathy Bea Reese.

Family survivors are Betty and Barney's son, Greg Barnett and wife, Freddie Jo of Edmond, their sons, Brad and Jeff. Brad Barnett and his daughter, Kaitlyn also of Edmond. Jeff and wife, Trasy, with their daughters, Ashton and Dilynn live in Edmond. Daughter Marcia married to Randy Garrett of Whitehouse, TX. Marcia's daughters, Stacy married to Derick Hutchins along with their four children, Mason, Parker, Garrett and Holland of Lucas, TX. Lori of Tyler, TX is married to Josh Knight. They have eight children: Hunter, Haftu, Ann, Nick, Hewan, Preston, Ty and Mez  and Jamie Boersma also of Whitehouse, TX. The apple of Betty's eye, Patti Lynn married to Kevin Junghanns of Elgin, OK. Patti's son, Michael League and son Kale of Enid OK. Matthew League lives in Long Beach, CA. And Patti's daughter, Kendra is married to Ross Kilpatrick of Stillwater, OK. Also surviving Betty is her baby sister, Delores Courtright of Waco. Betty's special cousin, Preston Holsinger and wife, Sandy, live in Lawton, OK. They have shared immensely in Betty's life and love while investing in making invaluable memories.

Many more extended family members and friends also survive Betty. Many are the nieces and nephews, their spouses and children and grandchildren that survive Betty, family that has known the sweet family devotion of Betty. They too join us celebrating the life of Betty.

All gifts given in memory of Betty are asked to be given to First Baptist Church, 501 SW B Avenue, Lawton, OK 73501 or to the Kathy Bea Holsinger Reese Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 6033, Lawton OK 73506-0033.